Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun pillory

1 sense of pillory

Sense 1
pillory -- (a wooden instrument of punishment on a post with holes for the wrists and neck; offenders were locked in and so exposed to public scorn)
       => instrument of punishment -- (an instrument designed and used to punish a condemned person)

Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb pillory

3 senses of pillory

Sense 1
pillory, gibbet -- (expose to ridicule or public scorn)
       => expose, exhibit, display -- (to show, make visible or apparent; "The Metropolitan Museum is exhibiting Goya's works this month"; "Why don't you show your nice legs and wear shorter skirts?"; "National leaders will have to display the highest skills of statesmanship")

Sense 2
pillory -- (punish by putting in a pillory)
       => punish, penalize, penalise -- (impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on; "The students were penalized for showing up late for class"; "we had to punish the dog for soiling the floor again")

Sense 3
savage, blast, pillory, crucify -- (criticize harshly or violently; "The press savaged the new President"; "The critics crucified the author for plagiarizing a famous passage")
       => knock, criticize, criticise, pick apart -- (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws; "The paper criticized the new movie"; "Don't knock the food--it's free")